Time to tango for our veterans

READY FOR THE SHOW: Becky Benjamin, office manager for the Rhode Island Fire Chiefs Honor Flight Hub, donned 1940 clothing, lots of heavy lipstick and, to the music of the Andrews Sisters, distributed mail to the vets during the mail call at dinner before returning to Rhode Island. Jianna Reyes, an eighth grader at Ferri Middle School in Johnston, assisted her.

GATHERING POINT: Veterans and their guardians gathered at Station 8 in Warwick before being bused to Green Airport.

RIDING FOR OUR VETS: Members of IBEW Local 99 and Local 2323 riding club provided the motorcycle escort to the airport.

ALL ABOUT VETERANS: Dave Sayles served as the guardian for veteran Walter Kimball of Westerly, who actively works with the Disabled American War Veterans. Veterans and their guardians assembled at Station 8 in Warwick next to Ann & Hope before boarding buses at 5 a.m. to be escorted to Green Airport.

HE INSISTED ON WALKING: WWII veteran Anthony Palazzo with his daughter Susan Robin as his guardian prepares to enter the airport terminal, where they received a hero’s welcome. With them is Korean War veteran Norman Gregory and WWII vet Dorabelle Smith.

NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE IT: Doreen Walsh served as guardian to Dorabelle Smith for the flight.

PAYING TRIBUTE: Retired and current members of Rhode Island fire departments saluted the veterans as they were led to their departure gate by the Providence Police Pipes and Drums.

ON TO WASHINGTON: Vietnam veteran Darlene Hanna of Johnston was accompanied by Kimberly Wineman on Saturday’s Honor Flight to the Nation’s Capital.

SAYING THANK YOU AFTER ALL THESE YEARS: The Rhode Island Association of Fire Chiefs held its 20th Honor Flight Saturday, taking 24 WWII, Korean and Vietnam veterans for a day in Washington, DC. The veterans and their guardians entered Green Airport to the applause of friends, family, officials, travelers waiting for flights, scouts and uniformed first responders and military personnel. Stories of the flight appear in today’s This Side Up column.

Posted
Tuesday, September 18, 2018 1:25 pm

Flight Tango – the 20th flight conducted by the Rhode Island Association of Fire Chiefs – was held Saturday with 24 veterans, leaving and returning to Green Airport after a full day of visiting the nation’s war memorials in Washington. As it has done with previous flights, Flight Tango was sponsored by the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 99 and Local 2323. Joined by travelers waiting for their flights plus more than 200 first responders, military personnel, scouts, friends, family and officials, the veterans and their guardians were given a tumultuous welcome at the terminal that included military songs played by the Rhode Island Professional Pipes and Drums. (Text and photos by John Howell)